What it is: a blog, a forum , a little spring of knowledge, a resting place, a comfortable spot, a shelter.
Purpose: dissemination of art, poetry, literature, for life, for healing, for a balanced wellness, an approaching of the truth or truths of existence.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Time out for daughter and gardening

I had intended to start no later than 0900 with gardening at old Mr. Fenwick's garden a block away. His daughter got us together on this work, since he needed a gardener, and I needed more work while I'm getting my writing and teaching studies together.

Annie-Franck, however, missed her bus today, while I was sitting with Altgeld in my lap, watching Arthur and Clifford. I decided we needed to reduce this dependence on motor transport. After all, we live only a little over a half a mile to the school! Annie Franck has gotten used to riding her beloved yellow school bus. Although we used to enjoy many walks together, what with her time in pre-K and my transitioning schedule into teaching and writing and municipal work, we've fallen out of the habit of walking. She broke into tears and declarations that she would rather stay home then, where it's "more fun" than, presumably, going to school cranky from missing your bus and maybe going to bed the night before a half hour or so late.

Finally, we all walked, with me pushing Altgeld in the stroller, while Wilma walked with Annie. And it turns out today a vet and a violinist come to the school to help the children learn the letter "V!" Fine. I like the science and art aspect of all this. As for the letters, Annie came to pre-K already reading and printing by hand. The last two weeks she's begun learning cursive script. And her Spanish is coming along nicely. Thank G-d.

You are the Gender Abolitionist type of feminist. This means that you
feel the best way to destroy patriarchal oppression is to rid ourselves
of misguided gender roles, and instead live in a society that does not
make such marked assumptions about gender differences. The Gender
Abolitionist is culturally radical, but rather conservative when it
comes to sexual liberation and politics. You have a strong sense of
human rights for all. In fact, you are actually a very moral person.
You don't see people in terms of gender and are thus very philosophical
in order to perceive the world in such a manner. You think people
shouldn't identify others in terms of gender. When most people see a
person, the first thing they think is "That person is a woman" or "That
person is a man", but they do NOT think "That person is a
short-fingernail". Most make someone's gender their IDENTITY, but
fingernail length would never be considered part of their identity. A
gender abolitionist would claim gender should be like fingernail
length--it shouldn't be part of someone's identity. By making gender a
part of identity, difference is emphasized and oppression is often
justified. Thus, gender shouldn't be regarded to such a large extent by
society. You are mostly concerned with seeing women become fully
equalized with men by eliminating gender roles, as these roles oppress
women.